I don’t think linking climate change and Australia’s sluggish action on carbon emissions to the bushfires ravaging NSW counts as political point-scoring. I really don’t. It stands to reason that our leaders should react to material realities – like the fact Australia is experiencing extreme weather with worrying regularity – by doing what it can to mitigate those risks.
[jwplayer Z1HEgE4n]
I also have a hard time believing that “thoughts and prayers” constitutes action on the matter. Even when bundled with support for emergency services and the Australians impacted by the blaze, “thoughts and prayers” equates to “practically nothing” for a broadly secular nation.
Poppy Burton, a student who appeared in the audience on last night’s edition of Q&A, appeared to feel the same way. Speaking to a panel including Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy Mark Butler and NSW Liberal MP Jason Falinski, Burton said she and her fellow students were “more inclined for direct action” than Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s “thoughts and prayers.”
Her actual question: why did Morrison’s government appear to ignore the warnings of former Fire and Rescue NSW commissioner Greg Mullins, who has called for direct action against climate change, more funding for firefighting aircraft, and no more cuts to environmental protection agencies?
Butler faced the question first, but said it was not really the time nor the place to discuss which political group shat the bed while people are at risk:
There is too much political debate during an emergency about who caused what, about who should have done something more than they did? And I think having a look at the TV news tonight, every single TV news led not with communities doing the sort of work you guys are doing, but instead with a spat between [Greens MP] Adam Bandt and the Greens and [National Party leader] Michael McCormack. And I think that’s a betrayal of so many people who are putting their lives at risk to save other Australians.
Butler added “Once that finished, I think there is time for a very serious debated about the impact of climate change and what it is doing to our country. That time is overview but not right now.”‘
Q&A superstar Falinski said our emergency services really are pretty well-stocked, but chucked in a “thoughts and prayers” for good measure. He also thanked volunteers for battling the fires which, like it or not, have been exacerbated by extreme weather conditions.
Student leaders have opted for practical help rather than “thoughts and prayers” but why didn’t the Prime Minister heed the warnings and implement preventative action to mitigate bushfires? #QandA pic.twitter.com/c0jH1W0yEg
— QandA (@QandA) November 11, 2019
Is the priority right now to ensure Australia’s emergency services do what they can, right here and now, to protect those at risk? Yes, obviously. Goddamn. But it is not unusual to feel a deep sickness when faced with the realities of climate change, and the continual resistance to even discuss the issue. You can watch the full episode here.
